ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Government approves Strategic Disinvestment of 100% GOI shares in Dredging Corporation in favour of Visakhapatnam Port, Paradip Port,Deendayal Port and JNPT
Share Purchase Agreement executed today
Government mobilizes Rs. 1049 Cr. by this strategic sale
The Government had accorded approval for Strategic Disinvestment of 100% GOI shares in DCIL in favour of consortium of 4 ports, namely, Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Paradip Port Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Deendayal Port Trust . The share purchase agreement was executed between GOI and the four ports on 8.3.2019. With this the 73.47% holding of GOI in DCI has been transferred to the four ports as under:-
|
|
Name of the port
|
|
Visakhapatnam Port Trust
|
|
Deendayal Port Trust
|
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
|
|
Paradip Port Trust
|
|
No. of shares
|
|
5,451,710
|
|
5,040,101
|
|
5,040,101
|
|
5,040,101
|
|
% of paid up share capital
|
|
19.47%
|
|
18%
|
|
18%
|
|
18%
The Government has mobilized a total amount of Rs. 1049 Cr. By this strategic sale.
With this transfer of shares, the management and control of the company has been also transferred to the four Ports. As per the Share Purchase Agreement, the new management consisting of the following Directors have been appointed by the Purchasers subject to the compliance of statutory requirements:-
|
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Name
|
|
Designation
|
|
Mr T Krishna Babu, Chairman Visakhapatnam Port Trust
|
|
Chairman
|
|
Mr Rajesh Tripathi
|
|
Managing Director
|
|
Mr. Sanjay Sethi, Chairman Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
|
|
Director
|
|
Mr. Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Deendayal Port Trust
|
|
Director
|
|
Mr. Rinkesh Roy, Chairman, Paradip Port Trust
|
|
Director
|
|
Mr. Anoop Sharma, CMD, Shipping Corporation of India
|
|
Independent Director
With this transfer of the shares and management and control, of the Company, it is expected that the Company will have more operational and financial freedom in decision making which would enable the Company to take up and execute more works in an efficient way.
Dredging Corporation of India Limited  on 29th March, 1976, was incorporated as wholly owned Government of India Undertaking with the primary objective of catering to the dredging requirements of Indian ports. DCI was initially incorporated as a 100% Government owned Company. The GOI disinvested 1.44%, 20%, 5% and subsequently 0.09%  of its share holding in the Company in the years 1992, 2004, 2015 and 2016 respectively. After these disinvestments, the shareholding of the Government of India is 73.47%. The Company undertakes Capital Dredging, Maintenance Dredging, Beach Nourishment, Land Reclamation, Shallow water Dredging, Project Management Consultancy and Marine Construction for Major Ports, Indian Navy etc.
The Company was declared a Mini Ratna – Category I Public sector enterprise in the year 1999. The Company is a Schedule B Public Sector Enterprises. The Registered Office of the Company is situated at New Delhi. The head office of the company is located on the east coast of India at Visakhapatnam. The project offices are at various places like Kolkata, Haldia, Chennai, Ennore and Kochi.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs
More than 111.13Crore vaccine doses provided to States/UTs
More than 12.73 Crore balance and unutilized vaccine doses still available with States/UTs
The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply  75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccinemanufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
|
|
VACCINE DOSES
|
|

|
|
SUPPLIED
|
|
1,11,13,97,185
|
|
BALANCE AVAILABLE
|
|
12,73,62,006
More than 111.13crore vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt of India  and through direct state procurement category.
More than 12.73Cr balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
India crosses a significant milestone for The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India: Over 100,000 calls received on the Tele-MANAS Helpline since its launch in October 2022
Government is committed to providing access to quality mental healthcare for all across the country
Over 38 functional Tele MANAS Cells across 27 States and UTs, providing mental health services in over 20 languages and over 1600 trained counsellors running first-line services
In a significant achievement towards providing quality mental healthcare for all across the country, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States  helpline of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has reached a milestone by receiving over 100,000 calls since its launch in October 2022.
In a tweet by Union Health Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the countrymen for this feat.
The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India was inaugurated on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2022. Since its inception, the service has aimed to create a digital mental health ecosystem that has provided a boost to the existing mental healthcare services. An urgent need was felt for a digital mental health network in the wake of COVID and Tele-MANAS aimed to provide the same by giving access to the mental healthcare services 24X7 to even in the remotest part of the country. These services are available for all individuals free-of-cost through a toll-free number 14416 / 1800-89-14416.
The nation-wide service, an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India successfully completed its first 6 months of functioning, with currently over 38 functional Tele MANAS Cells spread across 27 States and UTs, providing mental health services in over 20 languages and over 1600 trained counsellors running the first-line services. Most of the calls received at Tele MANAS thus far, are from callers calling regarding sadness of mood, stress related calls, exam related anxiety, domestic disturbances and calls regarding sleep disturbances.
Tele MANAS initiative which was announced by Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the Union budget 2022-23 as an acknowledgement to the mental health crisis in the country, is a novel initiative to enable people to seek support for their mental health issues while maintaining anonymity of the callers, thereby reducing the stigma generally surrounding mental health issues.
The National Tele Mental Health Programme of India focusses on building the mental health workforce of the nation through capacity building initiatives whilst simultaneously ensuring that mental health services can reach free of cost to every household and every individual, targeting the most vulnerable and unreached sections of society that may otherwise have gone unnoticed. With Tele MANAS reaching the 1 lakh mark in 6 months, it turns a new leaf in achieving its ultimate aim of building a robust digital mental health network throughout India.
Ministry of Science & Technology
One-step laser-based fabrication of self-cleaning metallic surfaces can help prevent rusting
Ecofriendly self-cleaning surfaces that can protect biomedical and other applications from rusting and bacterial growth may soon be a reality with an ultrafast laser-based process that scientists have developed for fabrication of surfaces without use of coatings or additional surface treatment.
Scientists from International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials , an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology , Govt. of India, at its Centre for Laser Processing of Materials, have brought out a single-step method to develop super-hydrophobic functional surfaces that have ability to repel water. Such surfaces do not allow water to cling long enough to evaporate and leave behind residue.
This indigenous laser processing, which has been published in the journal ‘Materials Performance and Characterization’, allows the fabrication of fast and flexible super-hydrophobic surfaces on a wide range of materials. By adjusting the laser processing parameters, in this method, it is possible to accurately control the structure pattern and precisely tailor the contact angle and the wetting properties of a variety of substrates. It is a robust, simple, fast, precise, and eco-friendly process and can be used to effectively fabricate robust super-hydrophobic surfaces and has high potential for large-scale application.
Currently, super-hydrophobic properties are achieved by developing rough surfaces and low surface free energy chemical coatings which are mostly two-step processes. The first step is to construct a rough surface by physical or chemical methods, and the second step involves chemical coatings of low surface free energy chemicals. However, these super-hydrophobic coating surfaces have many limitations, such as the use of fluorinated toxic reagent and poor mechanical stability.
In contrast, the single-step process developed by ARCI scientists comprises surface modification using a femtosecond laser , non-thermal, and ecofriendly. The efficient and straightforward strategy will encourage the scalability of the process both in terms of reducing the cycle time and applying the developed hierarchical micro-scale and nano-scale structures over large areas for practical applications in the prevention of corrosion, bacterial growth, and avoidance of repeated cleaning.
[Patent:
Ravi Bathe, K. S. Srin, and G. Padmanabham, “Method for Preparing Multifunctional and Isotropic, Uni-directional Superhydrophobic Surfaces using Ultrafast Laser” Indian Patent filed 
Publication link:
https://doi.org/10.1520/MPC20180090
For more details contact Dr. Ravi N Bathe ]
Figure 1: 3D Optical and SEM images of laser surface modified stainless steel surfaces showing microgrooves and microspikes with periodic nanostructure over it.
Figure 2: The schematic diagram shows the directional superhydrophobicity on different surface features. Profile of water droplet on laser modified stainless steel surface .
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Over 1.75 Lakh people visit Business Immunity Platform website in a week;
Platform is helping businesses get real-time updates on India’s response to COVID-19
The Invest India Business Immunity Platform , hosted on the website of Invest India, India’s National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is working 24X7 as a comprehensive resource to help businesses and investors get real-time updates on India’s active response to COVID-19 . The platform launched on 21st March, 2020 has received over 1.75 lakh visitors from 50+ countries by 10 A.M. today. There are 423 Government advisories and notification on the website, along with 205 Blogs, inforgraphics, videos and resources. Most searched term on the website was “donations for COVID”.
The Business Immunity Platform  is the active platform for business issue redressal, with a team of dedicated sector experts who respond to queries at the earliest. Invest India has also announced a partnership with SIDBI  for responding and resolving queries for MSMEs.
This dynamic and constantly updating platform keeps a regular track on developments with respect to the virus, provides latest information on various central and state government initiatives, gives access to special provisions, and answers and resolves queries through emails and on WhatsApp. So far, it has received 845 business support queries, out of which 614 have already been resolved. The queries were mostly on Logistics, notifications, Customs issues, plant shutdowns and clarifications.
BIP has launched ‘Joining the Dots’ campaign to procure essential healthcare supplies. It is also facilitating matchmaking to fill the demand-supply shortages of essential equipment to combat COVID-19. In its Stakeholder outreach activities, about 2000 Global and domestic corporates and stakeholders have been contacted. On the website, 120+ applications have been received from 17 states on ‘Startup challenge: Solutions to combat COVID-19’. It organized special conference call with US Financial Services Companies, with focus on identification and resolution of business continuity issues due to lockdowns in the country. Webinar has been organized on ‘Business Continuity for Startups amidst COVID19’ with a panel of industry stalwarts and other stakeholders. Discussion was held on prospective funding and support: opportunities for startups during COVID19, and shift to Work from home model. A special conference call was held with the American Life Sciences Companies to discuss issues faced by them during the lockdowns, and how to resolve them.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
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Focus on vulnerable and at risk children/adolescents through Community based Peer led Intervention  Centres by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
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Rs. 4.95 Crore funds released for 25 projects in Tamil Nadu during 2021-22 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
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Massive community outreach being done through more than 8000 youth volunteers under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan 
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9.55 crore people reached out so far under NMBA including 3.12 crore youth and 2.08 crore women
There has been a change in the pattern of substance abuse as reflected in the National survey on Extent, Pattern and Trends of Substance Use done in 2004, and in the Comprehensive National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India conducted in 2018. Comparison of these Surveys is not possible since the survey in 2004 was done only on males; whereas the later survey was comprehensive.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction  which is an umbrella scheme under which financial assistance is provided to  'State Governments/ Union Territory  Administrations for Preventive Education and Awareness Generation, Capacity Building, Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support of ex-drug addicts, Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs etc. and  NGOs/VOs for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts -340, Community based peer Led lntervention -48 for early
Drug Use Prevention among Adolescents, Outreach and Drop In Centres -71 and District
De-Addiction Centres .
Launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan  in 372 most vulnerable districts under which a massive community outreach is being done through more than 8000 youth volunteers. So far, NMBAhas reached to more than 9.55 crore people including 3.12 crore youth, 2.08 crore women and more than 3.14 lakh educational institutions have also participated in this Abhiyaan.
Ministry also supports setting up of Addiction Treatment Facilities  in some Government hospitals, which is being implemented through AIIMS, New Delhi.
A Toll-free Helpline for de-addiction, 14446 is being maintained by the Ministry for providing primary counseling and immediate referral services to the persons seeking help through this helpline.
During the year 2021-22, funds amounting to Rs. 4.95 Crore have been released to 25 projects in the state of Tamil Nadu by the Ministry.
This Ministry has launched Community based Peer led Intervention  Centres in 2019-20 which specifically focus on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents. Under this, peer educators engage children for awareness generation and life skill activities.
This information was given by the Minister of State For Social Justice and Empowerment, Sushri Pratima Bhoumik in a written reply in Lok Sabha, today.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
IAHE signs pact with University of New South Wales for setting up centre of excellence - Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems 
The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers , under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways , has signed an Agreement with University of New South Wales , Australia for setting up a Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems  at IAHE, Noida.
The Agreement was signed in a virtual ceremony today in the gracious presence of Union RT&H Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, MoS RT&H and Civil Aviation, Gen  Dr V.K. Singh, DG  & Spl. Secretary Shri I.K. Pandey, JS  Shri Suman Prasad Singh, Director IAHE Shri Sanjeev Kumar, VC of UNSW Prof. Ian Jacobs, Director Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation  Prof. Vinayak Dixit, besides other senior officials of MORTH, IAHE and UNSW. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gadkari said the project will help improve the road safety scenario in the country.
The Agreement is for a project for capacity building, technology transfer and creation of enabling environment for establishment of CATTS in IAHE. The UNSW will also deliver a course, certified by it, on smart transport systems and modelling.
The broad scope of CATTS is in the following areas:
- Building India specific Macro Model  for entire Nation Highway network and in-principle National Highways by UNSW, including coding of simulation software, calibration & validation and scenario analysis.
- Building India specific Urban Pervasive Data Model for City by UNSW including coding of simulation software, calibration & validation and scenario analysis.
- A course certified by UNSW on smart transportation systems and modelling will be delivered by UNSW in the form of three workshops in India and three workshops in Australia. Each of the workshops will be of five days’ duration and 40 participants will be allowed to participate.
It will also promote industries and startups from Australia and India in the transportation sector, including opportunities for innovation, research and development of advanced transport systems.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying organizes 2000 camps across Aspirational Districts for awareness on Entrepreneurship schemes and Doorstep Veterinary Services under “ Pashudhan Jagruty Abhiyaan” as a part of AKAM campaign on Inclusive Development
As part of Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahostav, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying organized awareness Programme “ Pashudhan Jagruty Abhiyaan” under the campaign on Inclusive Development on 24th April 2023. Information on various Schemes and Programms of the Department especially on Entrepreneurship, Vaccination and other beneficiary-oriented schemes of the Department were explained through the Common Service Centres network by holding 2000 village level camps across the Aspirational Districts. Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, CDD chaired the meeting. Attendees were given complete information about schemes and veterinary services, as well as how to apply on the scheme portal through the CSC itself. Around 1 lakh farmers joined the awareness Programme virtually from Common Service Centers.
Ms. Joshi interacted with the farmers during the program. Her insights and expertise proved invaluable in helping the farmers gain a better understanding of the various aspects of animal husbandry and dairy farming. Realigned schemes of DAHD are helping in creating rural Entrepreneurship and creating better livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth and livestock farmers in the poultry, sheep, goat, piggery, feed and fodder sector paving the way towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat, she said during her opening remarks.
The program was designed to help farmers gain a better understanding of the latest practices and techniques in animal husbandry and dairy farming, thereby improving their livelihoods. The impact and success of the schemes were explained with the help of presentations and videos.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
FACILITIES TO TRANSGENDERS
The total number of transgender persons benefitted under National Pension Scheme is 1768
As per information provided by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority under Deptt of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, the total number of transgender persons benefitted under National Pension Scheme is 1768. The State/UT wise list is annexed.
Government supports Community based organizations  for setting up and maintenance of 12 “Garima Greh” - shelter homes for transgender persons at Delhi, Thane, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar ,Vadodara, Raigarh, Chennai, Jaipur,Patna and Raipur.
Garima Greh provides shelter to Transgender persons with basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and recreational facilities. Besides, it also provides support for the capacity-building/skill development of Transgender persons.
Annexure
|
|
Total No of Subscribers under category " Transgender" in NPS

|
|
|
|
|
|
Sr No
|
|
State Name
|
|
No of Subscribers
|
|
No of Subscribers exited under NPS

|
|
|
|
A
|
|
B
|
|
C
|
|
D
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
|
|
2
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
32
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
Assam
|
|
37
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
Bihar
|
|
40
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
Chandigarh
|
|
2
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
|
88
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7
|
|
Delhi
|
|
39
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
Goa
|
|
13
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
Gujarat
|
|
87
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
10
|
|
Haryana
|
|
90
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
11
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
|
15
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
|
6
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
15
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
14
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
179
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
15
|
|
Kerala
|
|
65
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
16
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
93
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
Maharashtra
|
|
207
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
18
|
|
NRI
|
|
2
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
19
|
|
Orissa
|
|
73
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
20
|
|
Pondicherry
|
|
5
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
21
|
|
Punjab
|
|
79
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
22
|
|
Rajasthan
|
|
61
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
23
|
|
Sikkim
|
|
1
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
94
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
25
|
|
Telangana
|
|
17
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
Tripura
|
|
3
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
27
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
314
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
28
|
|
Uttaranchal
|
|
41
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
29
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
67
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
30
|
|
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
1,768
|
|
5
|
|
This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Shri A. Narayanaswamy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.